The Energy at Home Scheme

The Energy at Home scheme provides free, expert home energy advice, access to national and local grants, and support to make energy saving home improvements.

The Council currently has a very generous grant available of up to £6,000 for solid wall insulation, and up to £2,000 for other energy saving measures available through the scheme for home owners, private landlords and privately renting tenants. This grant is only available for a limited time and residents need to get signed up by the end of February 2016 to benefit.

There is also extra support available for residents meeting eligibility criteria to help cover the costs of heating and insulation improvements. This includes a voucher scheme for gas connection of up to £2,700 to help you connect to the gas grid (if feasible).

For more information, residents should contact the Energy at Home Advice Service:

Freephone 0800 038 5680 available Monday to Friday 9am-6pm, and on Saturday mornings 9am-12pm. 

Or email advice@energyathome.org.uk

Or visit the website www.energyathome.org.uk

Penny pinching Tories put up School dinner costs

It has come out very quietly that one if the first things that the Tories have done since they have been elected to power in Bath & North east Somerset is to put up the cost of School dinners for primary School children.

The cost of dinner rises from £2.00 per day to £2.30 per day. The Liberal Democrats when in control kept the price frozen for the previous 4 years.

It seems that life under the Conservatives is going to be much more expensive for hard working families.

New noise toolkit and app launched

I am pleased that with all the problems that we have had over the yeas with noise being created by som unsociable residents that the council have launched a new app to help battle this problem for many households.

Noise nuisance accounts for almost two thirds of complaints received by the Council’s Environmental Protection Team, but because it is often unpredictable and can happen at any time of the day or night it may be difficult for Environmental Health Officers to witness. 

The online toolkit and app will help people to gather evidence, so that the Council can,hopefully, help those affected resolve the issue without the need for formal action.

The toolkit includes advice on the actions you can take whilst noise is happening and afterwards. Amongst the ‘tools’ supplied are log sheets, template letters and the Bath and North East Somerset noise app.

The free app can be downloaded to your smart phone, and can then be used as an electronic noise diary, recording short audio clips, with date, and time. This information is then sent to the Environmental Protection Team who can use it to help with their investigation.

There are a number of benefits in using the app over making traditional audio recordings:

• The app provides a GPS location to pinpoint where you are recording the noise from.

• It has easy to use icons to indicate the type of noise and which room you are in when being affected.

• It means you can take action as the nuisance is happening.

• The app acknowledges that your recording has been received.

• Ultimately, the app provides a whole package to enable you to communicate easily with the Council. There’s no need to write letters or email, the app does it all for you.

To view the toolkit and download the app visit:http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/environment/pollution-noise-nuisance/noise-toolkit

Concerns about fracking raised

The Liberal Democrats on Bath & North East Somerset Council have raised concerns about fracking licences and fast tracked planning applications..

The former Liberal Democrat led council on Bath & North East Somerset previously raised concerns to any hydraulic fracking in the Mendip Hills over concerns about how this may affect the hot spa water that flows in Bath. The council were also successful in getting amendments to Somerset County Council mineral workings plan.

The concerns about hydraulic fracking were at the time supported by all political groups on the council.

The Government have announced that the will be encouraging hydraulic fracking across the country whilst at the same time putting restrictions on renewable energy.

This backward approach by the Conservative Government has led us to take action and we have written to both local Conservative MPs expressing our concern.

I would suggest that if you also have concerns that you also write to them expressing any concerns that you may have.

A letter sent by Bathnes Liberal Democrat leader to our 2 local Conservative MPs is below.

Dear Jacob and Ben,

I am very saddened to hear on the news this morning that your Governement is planning to fast track fracking planning applications.

Whilst we do not have any licences or applications at present it seems to me to be fundamentally flawed for central Government to be interfering in local affairs so dramatically. Any fracking application will generate a substantial amount of public interest and the the volume of work involved makes it very difficult to process such an application within 13 weeks.

I hope you will both be speaking out against your governments interference into local planning matters. 

It is indeed a pity that whilst you are persecuting benign forms of renewable energy such as land based wind you seem to be working hard to get fracking as quickly as possible.

Yours

Dine Romero
Leader B&NES LD

Public Consultation into proposal to close Bath Magistrates and Family Court

I am concerned at plans being put forward by the government could see the closure of Bath Magistrates court and also the family court that is important to many local people.

Below you will find details of a scrutiny panel enquiry day and i would suggest that anyone with concerns responds as soon as possible.

The Ministry of Justice has drawn up proposals to transfer the workload of the courts to Bristol. It’s also considering closing North Avon (Yate) Magistrates Court. However, Bristol Magistrates Court will not have the capacity to support the workload from both Bath and Yate.  Therefore, the response from the consultation process will help to inform the decision on whether either of the two proposals are implemented. 

To ensure local people’s view are heard, Bath & North East Somerset Council will be co-ordinating a public meeting on the plans at 11am on Friday 11th September in the Banqueting room in the Guildhall. 

Representatives from the Ministry of Justice will talk about the consultation process and Bath Magistrates Court, to provide an understanding of how the court is used.  There will be an opportunity to discuss the potential impact of the proposal and to help formulate Bath & North East Somerset Council’s response with relevant experts and key stakeholders. 

This is an important opportunity for people to make their views known on an issue that could have an impact on the effectiveness of our local court and the ease with which Bath & North East Somerset residents can access it.”

Members of the public are invited to express their comments on the consultation to the Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel in writing or during one of the time-limited slots at the meeting.

Written representations should be titled “Bath Magistrates Court consultation”, and sent to: Michaela Gay, Democratic Services, 2nd Floor, Guildhall, Bath, BA1 5AW, by fax to 01225 477314, or by email to Michaela_Gay@bathnes.gov.uk

To respond to this consultation on line: 

Email: Scrutiny@bathnes.gov.uk

Or alternatively fill in our online pro-forma http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/consultations/consultation-proposals-close-bath-magistrates-court-and-family-court.

All representations should be received by 3^rd September 2015.

No final decision on the proposals will be made until Bath & North East Somerset Council’ collective response has been reported back to the Ministry of Justice. The deadline date for the consultation is October 8, 2015.

Note 

Bath Family Court covers the following areas of law; Bankruptcy, High Court, Housing possession, Divorce, Money Claims, Domestic violence and Children.

Rail electrification update

Network rail have issued an update today on the progress of their work in preparation for electrification of  rail network through Bath.

The update is reproduced below.

We had a busy week with several key guests visiting our sites to see the progress of the work which is progressing well to hand back the line on time at 05:15 am on Tuesday, 1 September.
Guests on site

We had the privilege of hosting the visit of Claire Perry, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport (pictured below with Andy Haynes, Network Rail’s West of England project director) this Wednesday at our track lowering sites. Our project team showed her the work completed at Box Tunnel and the current works at Sydney Gardens. She was very impressed with the scale of the programme, the amount of planning and our progress over the last five weeks. 

On the same day we hosted the One Show who came along for a second day to film a piece on Box Tunnel, its history and the challenges of track lowering. Also in attendance was the great Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s great-great-grandson visiting the tunnel for the very first time. The piece will be aired early in September. Please keep an eye on our Twitter account, @networkrailgwrm, where we will let you know the date as soon as it is confirmed.

Work's progress

We're happy to report that the track lowering work at Box Tunnel is finished, with just some snagging work to complete by the weekend. We will be starting tamping on the up road at Middle Hill Tunnel tonight, to finish work on this site this weekend as well.

We have finished stressing and tamping yesterday at Bathampton Junction. We will carry out signal testing work over the next few days to confirm that all systems communicate properly in order to open the line as planned on Tuesday morning.

We started track lowering work at Sydney Gardens this Monday and work is progressing well. It is of course the jewel in the crown of Brunel’s railway and as part of a World Heritage Site, it deserves a lot of care and attention to be given to it as we undertake such a large piece of work. Those of you who have been able to go to the gardens and view the work will appreciate just how constrained a site this is, with lots of men and big pieces of kit required, all contained between the high retaining wall, the low balustrade wall and 4 listed bridges!

We are monitoring the high retaining wall to ensure that our works do not disturb it or to notify us should anything untoward happen. We are very pleased to report that as we type, no movement has been detected. 
The core works are due to finish early Saturday morning but of course the fencing will remain up for a couple of days more and you will continue to see activity, as we complete all the necessary testing we have to do prior to handing the line back to First Great Western.

The last few days of a project are always the most critical and Sydney Gardens is a fairly complex site, but we are confident that we will finish on time and re-open the line as planned on Tuesday, 1 September.

Bath & North East Somerset Carers centre

The August ebriefing from Bath & North East Somerset carers centre is out now and makes some interesting reading.

If you are a carer then this is a must for you or even if you are just interested it makes a good read.

Carers centre  ebreifing 

Rail updates

Network Rail have issued an update on 21st August on the progress that they are making with the track upgrades in The Bath area.

Please see below the update issued.

Progress at Box Tunnel and Bathampton Junction
We’ve completed the lowering and installation of the new track inside Box Tunnel on the up main line and we’re on track to finish tamping and stressing work this weekend.
 We will start lowering the track on the up main line from Box Tunnel to west of Middle Hill Tunnel as well this weekend. This work is due to finish at the end of next week, but more updates on this in our next newsletter. Work at Bathampton Junction is progressing well and we’re on schedule to finish welding and stressing next Wednesday. 

Sydney Gardens – work starts today
The final stage of work starts today in Sydney Gardens. For the next three days we will be working from 7.00 am to 7.00 pm on the drainage. On Monday morning we will be starting the track lower. Please remember we will be working around the clock until Saturday, 29 August.
We will be holding a drop in session in Sydney Gardens next Tuesday, 25 August from 1.30 pm to 4.00 pm. Look for the orange tent (pictured below) between the railway and the Holburne 
Museum. Our team will be happy to answer any of your questions.

The bus replacement service - First Great Western 
The intensive rail replacement operation has settled down to operate smoothly bringing commuters and visitors to and from Bath.
The highly visible bus coordinators and customer service staff brought in to look after the bus operation and the customers have added a welcoming, helpful and informative personal touch.

Confidence and knowledge has grown and the customer service staff in Bath have become adept at helping customers with train and bus information, but also act as information sources for local buses and mini tourist guides to the thousands of tourists enjoying a visit to Bath.

Traffic congestion in Bath remains a challenge, but some mitigations developed in association with BANES City Council, such as an extended bus lane on London Road, phasing of traffic lights at a key junction and re-locating some standby vehicles have helped minimising delays in the evening peak. 
Coordinators and customer service staff at Chippenham, Bradford on Avon, Trowbridge, Westbury and Frome continue to offer excellent support at these key bus/rail or bus/bus interchange locations.

Twerton Summer Focus

I am pleased to be able to produce online the latest Twerton Focus newsletter that will soon be dropping through local doors

Not got yours yet you soon will have.

bogus council tax scam warning,

Bath & North East Somerset Council is warning residents to be wary after reports of bogus calls being made to households in the area about Council Tax.

The caller states that they are from a company which, for a fee, can arrange to reduce the household’s Council Tax for them by having their current band reviewed.

The company involved has no connection to Bath & North East Somerset Council and is not contacting households on our behalf.

We would advise anyone who receives a call from someone claiming to be working on behalf of the Council to reduce Council Tax charges and asking for a fee, to end the call straightaway. Anyone affected by bogus cold callers should contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service helpline on 03454 04 05 06. If you are concerned that you may have compromised the safety of your bank details, you should contact your bank immediately.

If you think that your property might be in the wrong Council Tax band, you can ask the Valuation Office Agency to review it for you. This service is free. You do not have to pay to have your Council Tax band reviewed.  

Information about making an appeal against your banding is available on the GOV.UK website (https://www.gov.uk/council-tax-appeals/challenge-your-band), or you can contact the local Valuation Office Agency for advice - phone: 0300 050151 / email: ctwest@voa.gsi.gov.uk.

Electrification of rail Network

Network Rail have been carrying out improvements to the rail tracks in preparation for electrification works. 

Below is a statement issued by Network rail on the work that they are doing.


We’re almost at the end of the fourth week of our project to prepare the Bath railway line for electrification, with one piece of work completed at Dundas and the other sites progressing well.

Dundas Aqueduct - track work completed on time
We have successfully completed the track work at this location last weekend, with approximately one mile of track lowered in one week. This wasn't a project without challenges, as due to the high temperatures recorded last weekend, we had to re-schedule a piece of stressing work on the up main line for next Wednesday, 19 August. There will also be some follow up work in the area during the second half of next week, as originally planned. 
The track lower work at Dundas will allow the line to be used as a diversionary route for freight trains in the future. It also means that we now have the right capacity for the DMUs (diesel shuttle trains) that will be cascaded from the Thames Valley area once the electrification project is complete, which will give an increased passenger capacity on the valley line for local commuters. 
If you’d like to see the scale of the project and the level of the work involved, but also the beautiful scenery at Dundas, please watch the stunning time-lapse video below. We hope you’ll enjoy it.

Network Rail Video

Box Tunnel and Bathampton Junction - work progress
The track lowering work in Box Tunnel is progressing well and we are on schedule. Our team is currently working on the up main line coming from the Corsham end of the tunnel, relaying the ballast and the new tracks.
It has been a challenging week for our team working at Bathampton Junction. On Monday night we had more spoil to remove than expected. However, our national supply chain came up trumps and sent in an additional train at very short notice. This has had a slight impact on the programme but nothing to worry about. Our planning team has worked hard to reduce the impact.

The rail replacement service – First Great Western
The rail replacement service is running very well, with many peak morning services arriving early. First Great Western is in constant contact with the council to identify and resolve any issues as they arise. Bath is very much open for business throughout the rest of the work.

Quality Care commission bulliton

For those of you who take and interest in health matters or are in the caring profession may want to take a look at the latest bulletin from the Quality care commission.

The bulletin can be viewed on this link  Quality Care commission bulletin

In the latest edition is the following.

CQC news
New approch to inspecting substance misuse services; consultation launched on joint targeted area inspections;  new approach to inspecting NHS 111 services.

Public information 
National survey of children and young people; NHS trust inspections for November; CQC listening events.

Our themed inspection programme
Integrated care for older people.

CQC and OSCs - local sharing information
Rating of health and care services in your area; keep in touch; regional networks and CfPS; watch out for...

Voter registration,

Are you entitled to vote, make sure that you are or you may well regret not registering, It is also worth remembering that it is a legal requirement to register and you can be fined up to £1000 for failing to register.

I have returned my annual return online this morning and it took me less than 5 minutes to complete.

Households in Bath and North East Somerset will have received a form this week, asking residents to check that the information that appears on the electoral register about those living at their address is correct.

This is part of Bath & North East Somerset Council’s annual voter registration canvass. The aim is to ensure that the electoral register is up-to-date and identify and encourage any residents who are not registered to do so.

With Police and Crime Commissioner elections taking place across the Avon & Somerset Police Area in May 2016, this is an opportunity for residents to make sure that they are registered to vote.

“If you’re not currently registered, the council will send you information explaining how to do this or you can apply online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.”

It’s particularly important that anyone who has moved address recently looks out for the form and checks whether they are registered.

Research by the independent Electoral Commission indicates that across Great Britain recent home movers are far less likely to be registered than those that have lived at the same address for a long time. The research showed that 94% of people who have been at their property for more than 16 years will be registered compared to 40% of people who have lived at an address for less than one year.

The same research indicates that whilst almost 95% of outright home owners are registered, this is the case for only 63% of private renters.

Any residents who have questions can contact Electoral Services either by phone on 01225 477333 or email elections@bathnes.gov.uk

City cycle hire scheme goes from strength to strength

The Nextbike cycle hire scheme that was introduced by the previous Liberal Democrat administration has seen substantial growth since its introduction last year, winning fans amongst residents and visitors alike.

With bike ‘stations’ located at nine key points around the city, the bikes have been ideal for people wishing to substitute the car for shorter journeys while also enabling visitors to get to Bath’s most popular attractions just a few minutes ride away. Since launch, over 7,000 journeys have been made by Nextbikes and the demand has been such that now three new stations are also being installed to boost the number of bikes available to 130.

Registration for Nextbike can be done via phone, mobile app or internet, and with hire charges from as low as £1 for 30 minutes, it’s a competitive alternative to the car or bus. For more information visit www.nextbike.co.uk.

Nextbike stations are installed at the following locations:

·         Green Park Road

·         Orange Grove

·         Bath Spa railway station

·         Sydney Place (Holburne Museum)

·         Royal United Hospital

·         Bath Spa University Newton St Loe campus (2 stations)

·         Bath Spa University Sion Hill campus

·         Charlotte Street car park

·         Newbridge Marina/Caravan Park

·         UNITE student apartments Lower Bristol Road

·         Moorland Road

·         Opening in the Autumn: Newbridge Park & Ride

Do you want to be self employed and are not quite sure what to do next 

Clean slate have announced their new training scheme for those wanting to go in to self employment.

Jobs by BOB (Being your Own Boss) launched last week at Bath JCP and is available to anyone with training or experience in the trades and looking to learn the the basics of self-employment.

Jobs by BOB training consists of 5 workshops, held weekly, covering subjects such as book-keeping, marketing, professional standards.

Once training is completed, tradespeople will be eligible for sub-contractor work on the  handyperson enterprise HandyHelp Co.

Read more on Jobs by BOB and how to apply here

Not enough on the links above and want to know more of what Clean Slate do and have to offer then go to their web site on this link http://cleanslateltd.co.uk

Don’t fall victim to scam cold callers

Bath & North East Somerset Council is warning people to be wary of telephone cold callers who claim to be from their insurance provider as it may be a scam.

The Council’s Trading Standards team has received reports of residents being phoned by cold callers who claim that an adjustment needs to be made to their household insurance policy, or offering them a cheaper deal. The caller confirms the first four digits of the consumer’s bank card and then asks the consumer to confirm the remaining digits. When the caller is challenged by the consumer and is asked to put the request in writing, the caller hangs up. The caller is currently operating from a London number – area code 02038.

“If you receive an unsolicited or unexpected telephone call be on your guard as it may be a scam. The fraudsters sound convincing, professional and may claim to represent a business you know, for example your bank or an official organisation. They may pressure you to act quickly, either because they want to trick you into believing you will miss a golden opportunity to make money or that you will suffer some sort of loss. Never give personal or financial information out to anyone who cold calls you on the telephone. Be cautious and if in doubt, hang up.”

If you receive a scam telephone call, you can report it to Action Fraud – 0300 123 20 40. You can also report it to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506 for referral to Trading Standards for investigation.

If you were duped into giving your bank, building society, credit card or debit card details, or your pin number contact your bank, building society or finance provider immediately and seek their advice. If you have been the victim of a fraud they may be able to help.

Lib Dems slam public health budget cuts in B&NES

Figures released by the Department for Health show the Conservative Government is planning a £544,000 cut to the public health budget in B&NES. The budget pays for programmes to help improve people’s health so there is less pressure on the NHS.

Work undertaken by public health budgets include encouraging people to exercise more, give up smoking, drink less, come off drugs and drink and avoid sexually transmitted diseases.

“This cut will mean that local residents are less likely to make good decisions on their health, and when they do need help it is less likely to be there for them”, says Lib Dem Councillor Tim Ball (Twerton, Lib Dem spokesperson on health).

“Cutting the budget in the middle of the financial year means it will be really difficult to make these cuts. Liberal Democrats say these are the wrong cuts, made in the wrong way and they will end up costing the Government and the NHS more than is saved.”

Tory attacks are they now worried ?

It was interesting somewhat to be attacked on Twitter by a couple of Tories last night about the Lib Dem fightback.

It is always the case that when we get down to work other parties become concerned. In Twerton ward we have been working hard since the election and have spoken to over 600 households since the last election many openly telling us that they regret not voting Lib Dem at the last election but will be next time.

I take comfort that this is clearly getting through to the Tories and the more they move the austerity agenda the more people will reject them and turn to the only party willing to stand up to them.

Many questions have been asked internally within the Liberal Democrats in Bath as to why we fared so badly in both the General election and the local elections.

These questions are being answered and we know exactly what happened and are putting mechanisms in place to address these issues.

The one shinning light that happened is that we gained a seat from the conservatives in Bathavon North and gained a council seat in Lambridge.

We also hold key activists and campaigners in many wards who are also working hard in their communities to help residents affected the Conservative Austerity measures.

The last majority Conservative government introduced the Poll tax that hit the poor hard as will the austerity measures that are now being put in Place. The Tories lost Bath to the Liberal Democrats then, so my message to our new MP is don't get too comfortable.

The Liberal Democrats wont be coming into the next election complacent and we will have a very strong team of candidates for the Local elections in 2019 led by a very strong Parliamentary candidate.

I wonder if this article will be attacked or criticised by the Tories if it is then it just shows how complacent they have become in just a short period of time.
 

New river rescue cabinets installed

In the last few moths of the last Liberal Democrat administration I attended the River Safety group where the installation of new cabinets for the riverside to increase safety was discussed and plans were put in place for the installation of these cabinets.

The Safety of the river is very important and we have lost too many lives in recent years in the river Avon and these cabinets will go some way to helping.

Bath & North East Somerset Council has put in place 14 new river rescue cabinets along the River Avon in Bath.

The cabinets, installed in the stretch of river from Windsor Bridge to Pulteney Bridge, have been specially designed for the Council to protect the life buoys inside from vandalism and damage. The locked grey and orange cabinets containing the lifebuoys can be opened with a code provided by the Fire and Rescue Service Control when callers dial 999. 

The cabinets have been extensively tested by volunteers and members of the River Safety Group, made up of representatives from Avon and Somerset Police, Avon Fire & Rescue, Bath & North East Somerset Council, the Environment Agency and the Canal and Rivers Trust. As a result of feedback from the testing, the instructions on the cabinets have been improved so that the lifebuoy can be accessed more easily and the fire and rescue service can respond more quickly.

How to use:

If you see someone in the river, dial 999 and ask for Fire.  You will be given a code to open the river rescue cabinet.  Once open, you can take out the lightweight yellow life buoy which has a long rope attached.  Holding on to the rope, throw the life buoy to the person in the water. They need to hold tight to the buoy while the rope is used to pull them to the edge.

One of the benefits of the new design is that Avon Fire & Rescue Service will be immediately alerted of any incidents and will send help. Avon Fire & Rescue Service Group Manager, Matt Hunt, said: “We welcome the introduction of the new tamper-proof lifebuoy cabinets which will provide emergency equipment for anyone who may need to help someone in the water. Callers will provide our Control Room with a location reference from the cabinet and will be given the code to access the rescue equipment. This will allow us to mobilise firefighters with specialist equipment to a confirmed location in order that we can help anyone in need.

One of the cabinets will be on display, with instructions as to how it works, at the One Stop Shop in Manvers Street, Bath, until September 18.

The cabinets are just one of the safety measures introduced by the River Safety Group to help make Bath a safer place.  The group, formally established in 2014, and supported by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), has implemented a number of safety measures along the River Avon. 

Since 2011 Bath & North East Somerset Council has spent in the region of £500,000 on river safety; it plans to spend £150,000 on the river corridor in the 2015/16 and will be seeking partner contributions to increase that figure.

Students from Bath City College have been working with the River Safety Group to encourage young people to think about their own safety with their #gotyaback campaign.  The campaign has been shared on social media and via a specially created film which you can find on their website gotyaback.org. 

Chairman’s Community Awards 2015/16 now open for nominations

The Chairman of Bath & North East Somerset Council Ian Gilchrist has announced the launch of his community awards for 2015/2016 which this year feature a new category, Carer of the Year.

If you know someone who is deserving of an award then why not nominate them.

The Awards are organised annually in partnership with, the Volunteer Centre Bath and North East Somerset, social housing provider CURO, Student Community Partnership (involving the University of Bath and Bath Spa University students unions) and this year, for the first time, Sirona care & health.

Cllr Gilchrist said: “I am pleased to be hosting the Community Awards this year; it’s important that we recognise people across the district that work tirelessly for the benefit of others.  The new Carer of the Year category aims to highlight the important role that carers undertake on a daily basis, providing support for their family and friends.”

The award categories are:

Category 1 – Volunteering Awards

Volunteer of the Year / Young Volunteer of the Year

Volunteer Leader of the Year / Young Volunteer Leader of the Year

Volunteer Team or Organisation of the Year/ Young Volunteer Team or Organisation of the Year

Good Neighbour of the Year / Neighbourhood Team of the Year

Carer of the Year / Young Carer of the Year

Lifetime Achievement

Category 2 – Business in the Community Award

This award will recognise a socially responsible business which actively supports its local community in positive activities. 

Full details and nomination forms are available www.bathnes.gov.uk/chairmanawards

Or you can email Sara_banks@bathnes.gov.uk, call 01225 477188 or write to Sara Banks, c/o, The Chairman’s Office, Bath & North East Somerset Council, The Guildhall, High Street, Bath BA1 5AW. The deadline for nomination is 12 noon on Friday November 27, 2015.

Human Right Act

I am pleased that the Liberal Democrat group on Bath & North East Somerset Council are moving a motion to inform the Conservative government that will will oppose any proposals to repeal the The Human Rights Act.

We would hope that members from all political group would support the motion.

Council notes that:
1. The Human Rights Act 1998 came into force in the United Kingdom in October 2000.

2. The Act ensures that the protections included in the European Convention on Human Rights (a treaty which British lawyers helped to draft in the aftermath of World War 2) are enshrined in UK law.

3. All public authorities and bodies carrying out public functions are responsible for complying with the Act. This includes B&NES Council.

4. The Human Rights Act provides guidance for public authorities in ensuring their policies are developed in line with human rights standards.

5. The Act ensures that all residents have direct access to the fundamental rights and freedoms included in the ECHR and can pursue human rights cases in the domestic courts rather than only the European Court of Human Rights.

6. These fundamental rights and freedoms are a key part of our fair, free and democratic society. Everyone in the UK is entitled to have these rights protected, even when we disagree with their beliefs or actions.

 Council resolves:

1. To oppose government proposals to repeal the Human Rights Act and replace it with a bill of rights.

2. To write to the Home Secretary and the Justice Secretary to express this Council’s opposition to the repeal of the Human Rights Act.

 3. To write to the MPs for Bath and for North East Somerset to call on them to oppose the repeal of the Human Rights Act.

delays in Skate Park instalation

The long awaited installation of the new skateboard park agreed by the previous Liberal Democrat administration has been delayed at Victoria Park.

The Council had hoped to re-open the skate park in July however, as work progressed, contractors discovered large slabs of rock in the area being excavated. 

Specialist machinery has been brought in to remove this rock and extra work is needed to stabilise the ground afterwards. This means the park is unlikely to be completed until mid to late August.

The old skate park was over 20 years old and the main ramps had reached the end of their lives and needed to be replaced. The new design will continue to accommodate all small-wheeled sports such as skateboarding, BMX-riding and scooter riding. 

It will incorporate concrete bowls sunk into the ground which replicate the current large ramps in the park; it will also offer more ‘street’ features and a better ‘flow’ of continuous ride lines.

The skate park design was created following consultation involving local young people, children and their parents. The upgrade of the skate park is part of almost £500,000 in improvements by the Council to Bath’s Royal Victoria Park, including improvements to the play area and the public toilets.

I certainly hope that the opening will not be much longer as I have some eager grandchildren who cant wait to get a go on it.

New Bus Service 16

A new bus service will soon be in place that will run from Bath Spa University picking up students from the new Twerton Mill accommodation on the Lower Bristol Road then picking up at stops along Lower Bristol Road and then back towards Bath Spa University on the Newbridge Road.

I am pleased that this service has been introduced as it will ease pressure on our local bus services and even give a few of us non students who can also use the bus a pleasurable trip to the Globe for lunch.

I asked that the bus service was provided during the planning process and its good to know that I have been listened to.

The new Bus will be number 16  and run every 30 minutes Monday to Friday in term time only.

Keeping Bath moving this summer!

It is encouraging that action is being taken to keep Bath moving this summer with alterations taking place on the rail network in advance of electrification.

From July 18, Network Rail will start work to improve the rail services in and around Bath, Reading and Wiltshire. The Bath railway corridor is being prepared for electrification and the introduction of new, higher capacity, trains that will improve journeys and benefit local economies.

Bath Spa train station will remain open throughout Network Rail’s programme of works but there will be reduced access to the railway from July 18 to August 31. Network Rail and First Great Western have developed a range of measures to help travellers to get to Bath, with the cooperation of Bath & North East Somerset Council – from a fleet of replacement coaches to reshaping the timetable. These have been funded by Network Rail.

Bath remains fully open for business and pleasure – and Bath & North East Somerset Council has taken a number of actions to help people get into Bath easily. These include:

·         Increasing Park and Ride capacity at Lansdown

·         Signing diversionary routes to the Lansdown and Odd Down park and ride sites

·         Creating a temporary inbound bus lane on London Road

·         Embargoing all non-emergency road works for the period

• Additional parking and bus lane enforcement – to keep Bath moving.

There are two phases of Network Rail’s electrification work: Phase 1 (July 18 – 31) when services between Bath Spa and Chippenham will be diverted, and Phase 2 (August 1 – 31) when the lines between both Bath and Chippenham and Bath and Trowbridge will be closed.

Rail replacement buses will be operating east of Bath. These will be direct express coaches running from train stations directly in to Bath Spa.

During Phase 1: First Bus will continue to operate services between Station Hill in Chippenham and Bath’s Grand Parade and Westbury Railway station and Bath Spa. To plan your journey visit www.firstgroup.com

During Phase 2: The quickest way to get into Bath will be by bus. First Great Western will be running dedicated bus services for all passengers east of Bath to Bath Spa. Detailed timetables are available from Avoncliff, Bradford-on-Avon, Chippenham, Freshford, Frome and Trowbridge stations.

For more details, please visit www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/bath2015.

For regular bus services, check out Traveline at www.travelinesw.com

Or if you’re planning to drive, please use the Park and Ride!

What about the Green Party in Bath

These are my own thoughts about the recent General and Local elections in Bath.

The Green Party literature in Bath had a mythical tone to it with them telling residents that they were going to win in Bath and showing graphs how they were going to beat the Lib Dems hands down, in reality it did not happen and fell a long way short.

The The Green Party vote in Bath rose at both local elections and General elections with almost all of their extra votes coming from the Liberal Democrats.

In Fact the Greens did very well capturing a seat in Lambridge Ward where their candidate worked very hard, they also had a surprise win in Abbey Ward in the City centre.

The Green Party PPC was very vocal on social media getting to lots of debates with political hacks of all persuasions and making a lot of noise about local issues.

What was he Green Party ambition in Bath well only they will really be able answer that one, but from my own view it seems that they achieved it making a breakthrough in the City and increasing their share of the Vote.

On the issue of the General election its is very evidential that those former Liberal Democrat voters who voted Green at the General election succeeded in electing a Conservative MP and I can not believe that is what they wanted.

The acid test for the Greens will be in 2019 when they have to defend their seats without a protest vote against the Lib Dems and this may be a much harder task for them, and then in 2020 General election.

Next Saturday UKIP